Boys hoops | Brunson leads way for Stevenson

January 11, 2013|By Phil English, Special to the Tribune

(David Banks/for the Chicago Tribune)

Stevenson sophomore Jalen Brunson remembers his last trip to Mundelein's gym last season. It wasn't pretty.

Friday night may have been Brunson's masterpiece. He scored a game-high 29 points, including 13 in the third quarter as the Patriots gummed things up atop the North Suburban Lake Conference standings with a 71-61 road victory.

"I didn't play well here last year and I wanted to come out with a bang," said Brunson, who was 12-for-15 from the floor. "(Mundelein) is on top of the conference and we didn't want to back down. The points really don't matter. I just had to help the team. Once I kept feeling it, I trusted my jump shot and they kept going in."

Mundelein senior Sean O'Brien (24 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) was ineffective early after picking up two fouls, and Stevenson (11-4, 4-2) took advantage by building as much as an eight-point first-quarter lead. When O'Brien returned, the difference was felt immediately as he had four points and an assist during a 12-2 run to start the second and helped the Mustangs (8-7, 4-2) to a 26-25 halftime lead.

Brunson helped Stevenson come back with four points during a 10-0 run. The Patriots closed the third quarter on a 17-4 run to take a 50-39 lead.

Brunson added two 3s during 12-6 run to start the fourth. The Mustangs drew within nine in the closing minute, but Stevenson made 7 of 11 free-throw attempts during the final 2 1/2 minutes to ice the contest.